Animal Consciousness - Awakening from the Bodily Concept of Life
The human form of life is an incredibly rare evolutionary gift, providing the living entity with higher intelligence and advanced consciousness. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that if this intelligence is not utilized for self-realization, the human being remains on the exact same psychological platform as the beasts of the jungle. To build a truly progressive society, we must learn how to recognize the symptoms of animal consciousness and actively awaken ourselves to our eternal spiritual identity.
The Bodily Concept of Life
The most fundamental error a living entity can make is to identify the self with the temporary physical body. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that this bodily concept of life is the very definition of animal consciousness. While a dog or a cat naturally thinks "I am this body," it is a severe degradation for a human being to operate under this same blinding illusion.
- Practically every person, 99.9%, they are under the impression that "I am this body." This conception of life is animal consciousness. The dog is thinking, "I am this body." The cat is thinking, - I am this body.
- They do not know what is spirit soul. This is the animal consciousness. Dogs, cats, they think that the body, they are the body.
- Anyone who is in bodily concept of life, he is no better than animal, like cows and asses. This is the verdict. So therefore, when we are in the animal consciousness of life, there is no possibility of getting Krsna consciousness.
- The body is not barrier, we should always remember. Bodily concept of life is the consciousness of the animals, and spiritual concept of life is the consciousness of the perfect being. I am servant, eternal servant of Krsna. This we should know.
Ignorance of Material Suffering
One of the most striking features of animal life is the inability to comprehend impending danger. An animal in a slaughterhouse will peacefully eat grass, unaware of its imminent death. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that when a human being suffers the miseries of material life but foolishly believes they are "very well off" without seeking a spiritual remedy, they are vividly displaying animal consciousness.
- Animal is not aware of the sufferings he is undergoing. There are sufferings both for the animals and for the man, but man is conscious. If a man is not awakened to his suffering, then he is in animal consciousness.
- Animals cannot understand that they are suffering, but human beings can. One who does not know that he is suffering is in animal consciousness. Animals may be standing behind a fence to be slaughtered, but they do not understand this.
- Suffering without knowledge or remedy, means animal life, one who cannot understand his suffering and thinks, "Oh, I am very well off. I am very well situated." But that is animal consciousness. One should be cognizant of the threefold miseries of life.
- Suffering without knowledge, without remedy, is animal life. One who cannot understand that he is suffering and who thinks that he is very well off is in animal consciousness, not human consciousness.
The Failure to Inquire
The special prerogative of human life is the ability to ask "Why?" and "Where do I come from?" Śrīla Prabhupāda observes that a person who never inquires about the Absolute Truth or the ultimate origin of existence remains on the animal platform. When an entire society loses this spirit of transcendental inquiry, they inevitably end up electing leaders who are simply "big animals."
- The animals cannot inquire, but a man can inquire. So unless one comes to this point, to inquire how these problems can be solved, he's not developed to human consciousness. He's still in animal consciousness.
- This is animal consciousness, "There is no origin." There must be origin. My origin is my father, cause, I am born by my father. Common sense. Then his father, then his father, his father, go on, go on, although you do not know, but this is a fact.
- At the present moment the mass of people are kept in their animal consciousness. And therefore they elect another big animal to become president.
- So the sum and substance is that I have got the opportunity of human form, everyone, and they should not be kept in the same animal consciousness. This is civilization.
Elevating to True Consciousness
We are not condemned to remain in ignorance. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the entire Vedic civilization, particularly the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, was designed specifically to pull the living entity out of animal consciousness. Today, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement serves as the ultimate educational institution, systematically training people to realize their spiritual nature and awaken their dormant love for God.
- God-made varnasrama-dharma is strictly meant for developing animal consciousness into human consciousness and human consciousness into godly consciousness.
- The whole system of human civilization is guide the people to become God conscious. This is the Vedic civilization. Not to make them dog conscious, cat conscious, animal conscious. No.
- So this Krsna consciousness movement is to save them from this animal consciousness. Krsna consciousness means real consciousness, and without Krsna consciousness, just animals.
- As you have elevated yourself from animal consciousness, animal body, to this beautiful human body, similarly, you have to still more elevate yourself to higher standard of life. They are called demigods.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda's urgent message is a call to utilize our human faculties for their highest intended purpose. By engaging in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and studying transcendental literature, we easily break the chains of the bodily concept of life. As we rise above animal consciousness, we discover a life of genuine knowledge, eternal freedom, and unalloyed devotion to the Supreme Lord.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Animal Consciousness. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.